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Vacancy (Antal, 2007)

The first act of “character development” does nothing to transcend the typical and monotonous genre material, especially after the strangely exciting, almost Hitchcockian credit sequence. There are some truly striking visuals glorified throughout the film, but since the filmmakers haven’t established any interest in character, who cares? You can tell Vacancy wants to be more than just any other modern day slasher film, attempting some surprisingly restrained moments of heart wrenching, cramped terror (when Wilson and Beckinsale first view the home made snuff films made in the very room in which they are saying, it’s down right creepy). But there’s too much left incomplete by the filmmakers, for instance, why do the psychopaths do what they do, or what’s the connective angst tying the couple together? These questions are answered simply and without a second glance.